By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
PEOPLE in The Bahamas influenced by biblical teachings were found to be most likely to support the use of corporal punishment on their children, according to a study in the International Journal of Bahamian studies.
Given that 90 percent of the population in The Bahamas identifies as Christian, any attempts by the state to regulate the practice of corporal punishment will need to be promoted by pastors to make messages on non-violent discipline of children acceptable to their parishioners, researchers found.
The study by William Fielding and Virginia Balance of University of The Bahamas used the responses of 1,570 participants.
Of that number, 1,295 respondents or 58.8 percent thought that it would be in the best interests of their child to be disciplined using corporal punishment, and 9.6 percent indicated that they would use an object to inflict the punishment.
Most of the respondents were female or 68 percent and the modal age group was 18-24.
Most participants believed in the Lord God of the Bible - 91.8 percent of 1,524 respondents, and 84.8 percent of 1,570 respondents identified with a Christian denomination.
About 62.7 respondents said when they were children they experienced corporal punishment, but it had a positive impact on them. However 78.1 percent said that they “turned out all right”.
Another 24.5 percent said they’d consider corporal punishment on them as child abuse, while 6.2 percent said they had to get treatment for physical injuries and 10.9 percent said they had got treatment for mental injuries.
A small number, 8.9 percent, strongly agreed that it should be illegal for parents to use corporal punishment on children and 11.7 percent were of the view that corporal punishment is violent.
When Christians and non-Christians’ views were looked at, Christians - 52.2 percent - agreed that it was acceptable for children to be physically punished by their parents, while 48.2 percent of non-Christians had the same views. Fifty-five percent of Christians disagreed that it should be illegal for parents to use corporal punishment.
“This study reminds us that corporal punishment to discipline children is a commonly-used method to modify their behaviour,” the report said. “Consequently, these findings repeat those in the 1960s study from Andros that belief in a supernatural being was linked to the justification to use corporal punishment on children.
“Its use is of greater concern with the rearing of boys than girls, due to the fact that boys are at a higher risk of being abused through being hit with an object; it is this normality of discipline which borders on abuse, due to common use of objects, which we can assume informs, knowingly or otherwise, the views of respondents.
“This is exemplified by the attitude that ‘I was beaten as a child and I turned out all right,’ although this is an untestable viewpoint.”
It continued: “However, we note that the attitude, ‘I was beaten as a child and I turned out all right’ was not associated with the group of participants who thought that they were abused through corporal punishment.
“This may suggest that further research is required to objectively assess the prevalence of child abuse arising from excessive punishment, rather than relying on self-reports. The results of our study again indicate that some four percent of children probably suffered severe abuse as they required assistance for their mental and physical harm, a figure consistent with other research.
“The implications of child abuse on child development are well known. Although participants agreed that everyone has a right to live without fear of violence, this attitude does not seem to apply to children because participants did not view corporal punishment as a form of violence.
“Participants indicated that they did not support making corporal punishment illegal. This view seems in tension with the fact that exposure to corporal punishment as a child is linked to a life of victimisation, including workplace bullying.”
Moreover, it was found that in The Bahamas there is considerable disagreement as to whether anyone has the right to tell a parent how to raise their children, a matter raised by policymakers.
The report noted that this suggests that participants feel that society should not intrude upon what happens in the home.
However, media reports of child abuse, which can even result in death, suggest that this attitude is not without risk to children.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.